Internet/Broadband

It is downright shocking that millions of low-income older adults, members of our one of our most vulnerable communities, will lose their broadband connection due to the uncertainty of funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program. For older adults in financial need, the extension of funding for the ACP is critical. While the number of those over the age of 65 with broadband in the home has grown, it is still one of the biggest gaps of the digital divide. At the start of the ACP, only 64% of those 65 and older had a broadband connection in the home 

In early 2023, Brookings Metro and other experts were warning that, without action, the United States was likely take the biggest step any country has ever taken to widen rather than close its digital divide. The reason? The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), which provides a $30 per month subsidy for broadband to about 23 million homes, would run out of funds sometime in late April or May 2024. Now, we’ve arrived at that precipice.

As government officials increasingly scrutinize how digital platforms may harm kids, a growing number of states are proposing sweeping restrictions to limit their access to social media. But a top federal enforcer active on kids’ safety issues said that he opposes such limits, arguing they are unlikely to work and may run afoul of the Constitution. “Meet a teenager, they will find a way to get around that,” said Federal Trade Commissioner Alvaro Bedoya.

The American Rescue Plan provided $350 billion to state and local governments. Then we passed the most significant investment in our nation’s infrastructure in generations: roads, bridges, railroads, ports, airports, public transit, clean water, high-speed Internet, and so much more. You know, just like FDR passed the Rural Electrification Act to deliver electricity to nearly every home and farm in America, we’re building affordable high-speed Internet for everyone in America, because the Internet is just as essential today as electricity was then. Last month, I was in Wake County, North Ca

Rural households were not as likely as their urban counterparts to enroll in the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), a federal fund that is running out of money to help low income families connect to the internet. About a third (37 percent) of rural households that are eligible for the monthly discount on broadband subscriptions had enrolled in the program as of December 2023.

Hey there. Lonely heart here, looking for that spark, that zing, that high-speed connection that doesn’t drop when things get hot. A relationship that promises gigabits of love and delivers every single byte. I long for a forever network that isn’t afraid to go the distance, preferably without data caps. So don’t promise me a whole new digital world if you don’t have the upload speed to back it up. The ideal date night? It’s simple: you, me, and a router that doesn’t need to be reset every hour. Netflix and chill?

The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) has been a transformative force, connecting more than 23 million households. It’s a true unicorn among public policies, attracting the support of 4 out of 5 Americans. Yet, despite the program’s massive success, the ACP is on life support.

The study, conducted every five years, provides valuable data and insight on internet access and use, devices, digital skills, civic participation, training needs, and safety and security concerns. Results help guide the City and community digital equity programs to serve residents better.

The county government in Livingston, Michigan, was very clear—it was not going to become an ISP.  Long committed to principles of lean government, elected officials were certain that although 56 percent of households in this region do not have access to fixed broadband, the ideal solution should not be government-owned infrastructure. County Chief Information Officer Kris Tobbe set out to develop an approach that could balance minimal government intervention with effective access to critical infrastructure for residents.

Federal Communications Commissioner Geoffrey Starks and Congressional Black Caucus Chair Steven Horsford (D-NV-04) visited the Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority to hear from residents and state and local officials about the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP)’s positive impact on closing the digital divide and the need for Congress to continue the program.